Support for weak feet and raising fallen arches thereof.



B. A. LEWIS.

SUPPORT FOR WEA-K FEET AND RAISING FALLEN ARCHES THEREOF. l 1 APPLICATION FILED APR. 3, I915.

Patented Feb. 22, 1916.

BENJAMIN A. LEWIS, OF YHIL ADELIPHIA, PENNS'YIIVANIA.

SUPPORT FOR WEAK FEET AND RAISING FALLEN ARCIHES THEREOF.

' Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 22, 1916.

Application filed April 8, 1915. Serial No. 20,066.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1,;BENJAMIN A; LEWIS, a citizen of the United States, residing in the city and county of Philadelphia, State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Support for Weak Feet and Raising Fallen Arches Thereof, of which the following is a specification.

'My invention relates to means for supporting weak feet and raising fallen arches thereof, and consists of a device adapted to hold the shank of a shoe in elevated position adjusted to the condition of the feet and arches, as will be hereinafter set forth in the claims.

The invention issatisfactorily illustrated in the accompanying drawing, but the important instrumentalities thereof may be varied, as long as they are included in the scope of the claims.

Figure 1 represents a partial longitudinal section and a partial side elevation of a device embodying my invention. Fig. 2 represents a transverse vertical section thereof on line ww Fig. 1. Fig. 3 represents a perspective view of the underside of the device shown in Fig. 1.

1 designates a bandage to be wrapped around the arch of a foot, the same being provided with a retaining heel strap 4, 5 designates a pad which is secured to the insole 6, so as to be below the instep of the foot. These members form no part of the present invention.

On the underside of the shank of the shoe there is placed the cushion 8 which'is formed of rubber, metal or other suitable material, it being of a form of a casing 9 within which are the springs v1O which are interposed between the top and bottom walls of said casing so that in walking, the bottom wall which is yielding in its nature will have a resilient contact with the side walk or road,

' ient support for the shank and prevents whereby the cushion may be wornwith case, while "it forms an upwardly pressing resilsinking or dropping of the same. The cushion 8 is secured to the shank in any suitable manner by the screws or nails 11, but the rear vertical wall of the casing 9 which closes the rear of said casing is thickened and hasholes vertically therein to allow such screws or' nails to pass therethrough' into the shank. The underside of said thickened wall is cut away'forming the upwardly' projecting shoulder 12 ,which is occupied by the heads of the screws or nails, said rear wall contacting with and .closing against the breast 13 of the heel of the shoe. The rear screws or nails employed are removed from the tread or bottom wall of the casing 9 leaving the pllability of said tread unafi ected, while the heads of the screws or nails are sunken in the shoulder 12, so as to be removed from contact.with.

the sidewalk, etc. The front screws or nails are passed into the insole through a flange which extends from the front and sides of the top wall of the cushion, and so leaves the bottom tread of the cushion free of the screws or nails. It will be seen also that the casing completely incloses the springs 10, so that water is prevented from entering the same. As has been stated, thetread or bottom wall of the casing is yielding in its nature, but the springs 10 which rest on said tread serve to support the top wall of the casing, which wall is pliable as the casing is preferably made of rubber, while said tread presents a resilient contact with the side-walk, street, etc., it being permitted to bend upwardly when the weight of the body is imposed .on it, but returning to its normal position by the action of the screws 10, which in a measure increase the resiliency of the tread, while serving to distend the cushion in vertical direction.

The cushion in its entirety is in condition to be located on and fastened to ashoe, the springs remaining in the casing without liability to be lost, and the casing as a closed hollow body is ready to be screwed or nailed to the shoe by the screws or nails employed being driven through the flange and shoulder as stated into the insole. v 7

Having thus described my invention What I claim as new and desire to secure by Let:

ters Patent, is

1. In a shoe support of the character stated, a cushion composed of a top wall, sides, and a bottom tread forming a closed hollow body, and a resilient device in said body adapted to bear against said tread and top wall, and being supported on said tread.

2. In a shoe support of the character stated, a cushion composed of atop wall, sides, and a bottom treadforming a closed hollow body, a resilient device in said body adapted to bearagainst said tread and top wall, and

' being supported on said tread, and a-' securing flange, the same extending outwardly the same extending above said bottomtread, 1o

the said shoulder being provided with holes for the passage of securing-means and being arranged to have the heads 01 said securing-means seated on it.

BENJAMIN A. LEWIS. Witnesses;

JOHN A. WIEDERSHEIM, N. BUssiNGER. 

